Folding doors and the like and mounting means therefor



Nov. 27, 1962 FOLDING DOORS AND THE LIKE AND MOUNTING MEANS THEREF'OR Filed Aug. 27, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 27, 1962 B. H. sTANsBURY, JR 3,065,786

FOLDING DOORS AND THE LIKE AND MOUNTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Aug. 27, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Vvtraction during reverse movement.

United States Patent @time Sbb Patented Nov. 2'?, 'i962 3,065,786 FLDJNG DQRS AND THE LiKE AND MUNTING MEANS THEREFOR Benjamin H. Stansbury, lr., Alpine, NJ., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to Hough Manufacturing Corporation, .intrest/ille, Wis., n corporation of Connecticut Filed Apr. 27, 1958, Ser. No. 757,532

13 Claims. (Cl. loll-till) This invention relates to folding doors and the like, and more in particular to folding doors and improved mounting and supporting means therefor.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved folding door construction which is light in weight, inexpensive to manufacture and maintain, efficient and dependable in use, and which can be installed and removed with minimum etlort and with the minimum possibility of damaging or mari-ing the door frame. A further object is to provide improved frame constructions and mounting means for folding doors and the like. further object is to provide structures of the above character which are adaptable to various conditions, and wherein more or less identical parts may be used for various sizes of structures and for various portions of the same structures. These and other objects will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out below.

This invention is related to that disclosed in the copending application of Walter Dorwin Teague, Jr., Serial i No. 749,515, tiled July 18, 1958, now abandoned, In that co-pending application, there are disclosed certain pantograph and folding-door structures. The present invention includes certain features which may be considered as improvements in the invention disclosed in said co-pending application, and it also includes features which may be considered as related to said invention.

Amongst the existing folding doors are various types which use some form of pantograph arrangement with the intention to provide equal expansion of the entire structure during movement from the door-opened to the door-closed position, and to provide similar equal con- Such constructions employ a series of equal-sized link structures or pantograph units, with one unit operating the next through the series. Thus, there is lost motion or play resulting from the normal clearances of manufacture and the clearances developing from use, and this lost motion is accumulated so that the movement of the last link is only a portion of the movement given to the first link. To some extent, this defeats the purpose expressed above, namely, to expand and contract the entire door simultaneously. With these existing folding doors, two pantograph assemblies have been provided, respectively, at the top and bottom of the door for the purpose of insuring that the door is moved equally at the top and bottom. But this object is also only partially accomplished because of the accumulated clearances, as referred to above. Arrangements have been provided for interconnecting the two pantographs to improve this action, but the results have not been fully satisfactory. The prior folding doors have also required a top supporting structure, usually involving a track and a series of supporting rolls. Track and roller structures of this type are apt to require service from time to time, and they tend to accumulate dirt and become unsightly. Also, the resistance to the movement of the rollers tends to strain the hinged links, so as to increase the lost motion or play. It is a further object of the invention to provide folding door and pantograph structures and mounting means therefor which are free of the diflicultics which have been encountered in the prior art, and which overcome particularly the above-mentioned faults of existing folding doors.

ln accordance with the invention disclosed in the above- A still identified co-pending application, a single large master pantograph structure is provided which is rigidly mounted at one edge and which has a horizontal line of pivots along its top edge. ln the illustrative embodiment of that invention, the pantograph structure has five pivot points along its top edge, but this identical structure also may be used in horizontal multiples so as to provide, for example, nine pivot points along its top edge. It may also be used in vertical multiples so as to provide two horizontal lines of the pivot points. rThis master pantograph provides a horizontally collapsible but vertically rigid frame upon which the collapsible door panels are mounted and moved between a closed-door position and a multiple-fold collapsed or open-door position. Illustratively, two panels of fabric are mounted at iive points along the top of the pantograph, and the fabric forms into eight accordion pleat folds as it collapses. Hence, there are two folds between each of the main pivot points and the next.

As indicated above, the pantograph linkage is supported at one vertical edge of the door, and it collapses toward that edge. No overhead support tracks are required though a thin guide track or rail is used, and prevents the door from swinging. There is a movable vertical frame member at the other vertical or outboard edge of the pantograph which is moved to and from the opposite side of the door opening to expand and collapse the pantograph and the fabric panels. An important feature of that illustrative embodiment is the fact that identical pantographs can be used for many different door widths by merely attaching to them fabric panels of different widths. That is, within certain limits, the expanding movement of the pantograph is limited only by the width of the fabric panels, When the pantograph of the illustrative embodiments is collapsed, the fabric panels fold into eight equal folds which, of course, become larger as the width of the door is increased.

ln accordance with the present invention, folding door and pantograph structures of the type disclosed in the above-identified co-pending application are supported in an efficient and dependable manner along the top and vertical edge. The supporting structure is readily installed and holds the folding door securely at all times. In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a vertical member of slightly greater heighth than that of the folding door is mounted so as to extend upwardly from the bottom of the door opening which is to be closed by the folding door. An expansible horizontal member extends across the top of the door opening and interengages at one end with the vertical member so as to provide a rigid inverted L structure which supports the folding door. The expansible horizontal member also provides a guide for the folding door during its opening and closing movement. The interengagement between the horizontal and vertical members is provided by a double acting cam arrangement. The illustrative embodiment of the present invention also includes improvement features incorporated into the folding door and pantograph structures.

Referring now to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of one embodiment of the invention installed in a door frame;

FIGURES 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are somewhat enlarged sectional views respectively on the lines 2 2, 4 4, 5 5, 6 6 and 7 7 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of FIG- URE 2; and,

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the structure of FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURE l of the drawings, a door frame 2 has vertical frame members 4 and 6, respectively, at the left and right and a top-frame member 8, and the floor line is indicated at 1l). Extending along the top of the door opening is a horizontal channel assembly 12. Channel assembly 12 interengages with a side vertical channel assembly 13 which is rigidly mounted along the left-hand frame member 4. A movable channel assembly 16 is shown adjacent the frame member 6, and this channel assembly is flush against frame member 6 when the door is fully closed; and, it is moved to the left toward channel member 13 to collapse the door to the fully-open position. As shown at the right in FIGURE 5, channel assembly 16 has a sheet metal channel 18 having a base web 20, side walls 22 and 24 and flanges 26 and 28. Channel assembly 13 includes a channel 14 which is identical in cross section with channel 18, with a base web 30, side walls 32 and 34 and flanges 36 and 38. Referring to FIGURES 1 and 6, the top of channel 18 is notched at 40 (FIGURE 6) so as to straddle and slide along the channel assembly 12. A pair of nylon anti-friction guide members are mounted by rivets 17 at the top of the respective side walls 22 and 24, so as to provide frictionfree moving engagement with the channel assembly 12. Thus, channel assembly 12 provides a top horizontal guide for the vertical channel assembly 16; and, as will be explained more fully below, it also anchors the top of channel assembly 13.

Referring now again to FIGURE 1, the pantograph includes main links 42 and 44 which are pivoted together at their centers by a pivot 46, secondary links 48 and 50 which are pivoted at their upper ends by pivot 49', and at their lower ends by pivots 52 and 54, respectively, to the centers of the upper half portions of links 42 and 44, respectively. There are also two pairs of links 56 and 58 which are pivoted together at 60, and which are pivoted respectively at pivot 62 and 64 to links 42 and 48, each pivot being half-way between pivot 52 and the pivot at the upper end of the respective link. There is also a pair of links 66 and 68 pivoted together at 70 and to links 50 and 44 at pivots 72 and 74, respectively, which are positioned corresponding to pivots 62 and 64.

Link 42 is a single hollow formed sheet metal link member, whereas link 44 consists of a pair of identical parallel link members which act as a single unit. Pivot 46 is a single pin extending through these three link members. The upper end of link 44 (FIGURE 1) is attached by pivot 76 to channel 18 (see also FIGURE 5), pivot 76 being in the form of a pivot pin. Spacer 82 holds the link members 44 in spaced relationship. The upper end of link 42 is pivoted to the stationary vertical channel 14 by a pivot 84 which is identical with pivot 76.

Each of links 56, 58 and 66, 68 is in the form of a pair of identical link members which are positioned upon the opposite sides of the respective link members to which they are pivoted. Referring to FIGURE 7, the link members 48 extend along the two sides of the end of link 50 and are pivoted together by the pivot or pivot pin 49 which carries at each of its ends a channel bracket 86 to which a pair of plates 85 are pivoted by a pair of vertical pivot pins 87. Pivots 60 and 70 (FIGURE l) are identical with pivot 49 and carry identical brackets 86 to which are pivoted identical plates 85. Pivots 46, 62, 64, 72 and 74 are identical with pivot 49, with each formed by a pivot pin extending through the three link members.

As shown in FIGURE l, the lower end of link 44 carries a roller assembly 90 (see also FIGURE 4) which rides in channel 14 and forms the moving pivot for the link. Roller assembly 90 is formed by a pair of rollers 92 mounted to turn upon a shaft 94, and urged axially outwardly by spring 96. This spring presses the ends of link members 44 against the respective sides of the rollers so as to create friction therebetween, resisting the turning movement of the rollers. At the same times, the outer faces of the rollers are urged against the side walls of the channel member 14 so as to create additional friction resisting the turning of the rollers and also resisting the vertical movement of the rollers Within the channel. The flanges 36 and 38 overlie the rollers so that channel 14 provides a raccway 38 upon each side of each of the rollers. The lower end of link 42 carries a roller assembly 102 which is identical with roller assembly 90, except that there are two spacers upon the opposite sides of the link.

As has been indicated above, the pantograph and frame construction supports (see FIGURES 4 and 5) a pair of fabric panels 104 and 106 which are drawn out toward the flat condition, so that the panel is substantially flat when the door is completely closed, and which are folded into eight folds when the door is completely opened. Glued to each half of each fold of each of these panels is a vertical reinforcing strip 108. That is, there are thirtytwo of these reinforcing strips which extend vertically substantially the height of each of the fabric panels 104 and 106. This insures that the panels will fold evenly and will maintain a smooth condition when the door is in fully closed position. Each of the fabric panels 104 and 106 is connected to a pair of horizontal fabric web tapes 110 and 112 positioned respectively near the top and near the bottom of the panels.

As shown best in FIGURE 8, each of these tapes is glued to the coextensive faces of the reinforcing strips 108, so that the supporting forces are transmitted to the reinforcing strips, and the fabric panels are, in turn, supported by the reinforcing strips. In this way, the fabric panels are not subjected to excessive strains, but are supported uniformly throughout their vertical extent. As shown in FIGURES l and 7, the four panels 108 adjacent pivot 49 are supported by the hinged plates 85 having the corner 109 bent over and sharpened to form points which are driven into the panels. Thus, the panels are securely held to the hinge plates, and are moved with the pivot. Each of the pairs of panels adjacent pivots 60 and '70 is similarly supported by the respective pairs of hinge plates. As shown in FIGURE 4, the edge of each panel extends around the adjacent side and base portion of each of the channels 14 and 16, and is glued to the channel surface. The base portion 30 of channel 14 is normally positioned against the side of the door frame so as to provide protec-v tion for the edges of the panel. Glued to the edges of the panel which extend along the base 20 of channel 16 is a flexible plastic bumper 111 which holds the edges of the fabric panels. Thus, the fabric panels are securely supported at the vertical channels 14 and 18, and also near the top at the three pivots 60, 49 and 70. Thus, the eight folds of each of these panels are divided into four pairs at the intermediate supports provided at the pivots, each pair being supported at each of its edges. The pairs of panels 108 intermediate those which are supported by plates are supported by the tapes 110 and 112. As shown in FIGURE 8, each of the tapes 112 is provided at the alternate zones between panels 108 with a flat loop portion 126 which is stapled to and held flat against a similar loop extending from the other tape 112. Tapes are provided with similar fiat loops which are interconnected in an identical manner. Hence, the two panels are held together along vertical planes extending through pivots 62, 60, 64, 49, 72, 70 and 74. This provides additional rigidity and sturdiness, and causes the fabric panels to fold evenly when the pantograph is collapsed. That is, when the door is being moved from its fully extended position, the tendency to balloon out is minimized.

It has been indicated above that the channel assembly 12 interacts with the stationary vertical channel assembly 13 to provide rigid support for the door. Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3 and 6, the horizontal assembly 12 is formed by a pair of telescoped channel members and 122. Channel member 120 has a at base 124 which rests against the top of the door frame, and there are side flanges 126 and 128 which gives the channel assembly substantial rigidity. The extreme left-hand end (FIGURES 2 and 3) of channel member 120 has the central portion of the base 124 slitted and offset downwardly so as to provide an anchor tab 130 for the left-hand end of a tension spring 132. The right-band end of spring 132 is similarly held by an anchor tab 134 at th right-hand end of the inner channel 122. Hence, the spring 132 urges channel member 122 to the left and channel member 120` to the right, so that the channel assembly is urged toward its extended position. A strip member 136` is integral with an upper edge of one side wall channel 122 and engages tab 130 and limits the extended movement of the channel members.

The left-hand end of channel member 122 is provided with six horizontal semi-circular grooves or slots 13; (FIGURE 3) in each of its side walls, the grooves being in horizontal alignment in pairs. Each pair of grooves 138 is adapted to receive a lloating pin 14d which is slidably carried in a pair of cam slots 142 in the side walls ot a U-bracket 144 (FIGURE 2). U-bracket 1de is positioned at the top of channel 1d, and has ilanges 146 welded to flanges 36 and 3&3, thus to securely hold the U-bracket in place. Slots 142 extend at an angle of 25 'to the horizontal. Hence, when oating pin 14@ is urged to the left while it is held in one pair of the slots 13b, force components are created tending to press the channel assembly 13 (FIGURE 3) downwardly and to the left, and tending to press the left-hand end of assembly 12 upwardly. lt has been pointed out above that channel assembly 12 is positioned against the top frame. Channel member 126 is urged against the right-hand vertical frame member 6 and, at the lett (FIGURE 3), channel member 122 retains pin Mtl in one pair of its slots 138, and urges the pin to the left. It will be seen that this intel-engaging relationship between the channel assemblies 12 and 13 provided by this pin and cam slot assembly, forms these frame assemblies into a unitary mounting structure which is expanded between the side frame members d and d, and between the top frame member and the oor itl. Attached to the bottom end o channel assembly 13 is a foot 148 which has a pair of small projections which engage the iloor, so as to anchor the bottom of the channel assembly.

The folding door is mounted in the door frame by positioning it in its collapsed condition at the left-hand side of the door, with the channel assembly 13 being held against the side of the door frame. Channel assembly 12 is then moved in from the right along the top of the door frame inbetween the pair of rollers 1S (FIGURE 6) and pin 144i is engaged by the left-hand end of the channel member 122 (FIGURE 3) and is received in one pair of the slots 138. Channel 12@ is then positioned to the left until the channel assembly 12 is collapsed suliiciently to move the right-hand end of channel member 12) into the position shown in FIGURE l. The manual pressure is released, and the door is securely mounted as discussed above.

It should be noted that the plurality of the pairs of slots 13S provides considerable leeway in the heighth of the A door frame without difliculty being created in the secure mounting of the door. The length of the cam slots 1412 is also sutlcicnt to provide the interengaging relationship discussed above for any height of door opening Within the height range provided. That is, if a pair of the slots 138 is not in alignment with pin 140, then the pin moves to the lett and upwardly until it is in alignment with one of the pairs of slots and the basic interengaging relationship is as described above. It has been pointed out before that the roller assembly 90 provides friction which is such as to maintain the door in any desired position between fully extended and fully collapsed. With the link 42 swinging about its fixed pivot S4 and the roller assembly 90 resisting the free movement of the lower end of link dll, the entire pantograph is given a measure of stability. That is, opening and closing pressures exerted upon the right-hand movable channel assembly 16 are transmitted to the pantograph simultaneously through the upper pivot 76 to link 44, and the moving pivot 102 at the bottom to link d2. The entire pantograph moves with minimum friction, except at the roller assembly 90, and this insures that the pantograph will be maintained in upright condition, with the desired ease of movement. Yet the door remains in any position in which it is lett. Mounted upon each side of the movable channel assembly 16 is a handle 15b which has an upper flange portion 152 which is at the left-hand edge of the handle, and a lower flange portion 154 which is at the right-hand edge of the handle. Hence, when the door is fully extended against the right-hand door frame 6, the upper portion 152 may be grasped, and when the door is fully collapsed, the lower portion 154 may be readily grasped. When the door is fully extended, the Hexible strip 111 provides a light seal at the right-hand door frame member 6, and the channel assembly 12 provides a light seal at the top, even though the door opening is of greater height than the door panels.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as the structure herein described might be varied in various parts, all without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

l. An improved folding door arrangement comprising, a door supporting vertical member adapted to be mounted vertically along one side of a generally rectangular door opening, a pantograph linkage one end of which is pivoted to said member and another end of which is adapted to slide up and down therealong, an accordion pleated covering panel attached to said pantograph and supported thereby, said pantograph and panel being adapted to unfold horizontally and cover said opening, and door supporting horizontal members mounted horizontally along said door opening at one end of said vertical member and at right angles thereto, said members including interengaging wedge means which acts upon the application of horizontal forces by said horizontal member to exert vertical force components holding both of said members against vertical and horizontal movement.

2. The structure as in claim 1, wherein said horizontal member is in the form of two sections telescoped together and spring-urged longitudinally apart.

3. A structure as described in claim l, wherein said wedge means comprises a wedge slot in said vertical member extending at an angle to the horizontal, and means positioned in said slot and urged horizontally by horizontal torce from said horizontal member.

4. The structure as in claim l, wherein said vertical member comprises a channel, and wherein said wedge means is formed by: a wedge bracket fixed to the end of said channel, a slot in said wedge bracket extending at an angle to the horizontal, a pin freely riding in said slot, and means integral with the end of said horizontal member and engaging said pin and urging the same along said slot.

5. The structure as described in claim 4, wherein said horizontal member comprises a pair of channel members which are telescoped, and spring means urging the channel members longitudinally from their telescoped condition.

6. rifhe structure as described in claim 5, wherein the means integral with the end of said horizontal member comprises a plurality of horizontal slots in the end of one of said channel members.

7. An easily installed and quickly removable folding door which includes: a channel-shaped vertical member adapted to stand upright against one side of a door opening, a folding door including a pantograph linkage and foldable panels attached thereto at opposite sides thereof, said door being mounted for horizontal folding and unfolding of the panels on said Vertical member, a guide track adapted to tit horizontally across the upper side of said door opening, resilient means acting to press the end of the guide track against the upper end of said a member, and interlocking detents at the ends of said member and said track yieldingly engaged by the action of the resilient means and acting to hold the member and track in the door opening.

8. The structure as in claim 7, wherein said end of said guide track carries a series of vertically-spaced notches and said upper end of said member carries a transverse pin adapted to engage any one of said notches and which slides along a slot inclined inwardly and upwardly relative to said member.

9. The structure as described in claim 7, wherein each of said panels comprises a sheet of fabric and a plurality of pivotally mounted vertical reinforcing members adapted to fold the panels into even folds, and a pair of tapes positioned in parallel coextensive relationship between said panels and attached respectively to each of said reinforcing members, said tapes having portions formed into flat transverse loops which are interconnected at the zones wherein the fold portions of the two panels are adjacent.

10. The structure as described in claim 7 which includes, a vertical movable channel member carried by said pantograph linkage, a flexible channel bumper extending along the vertical face of said movable channel, and a handle attached to said movable channel member having a pair of vertical ange portions which are offset horizontally.

11. The structure as described in claim 7 which includes, a movable vertical channel which is supported by said pantograph linkage and interengages and is guided by said guide track, and a pair of plastic guide members mounted upon said channel upon the opposite sides of said guide track.

12. A folding door of the character described comprising, a vertical member providing a stationary support, a door supporting horizontal member, interlocking means between said vertical and horizontal members and having engaging surfaces providing a cam, a spring acting between said members to exert aV horizontal force on said horizontal member and vertical force on said vertical member, a pair of main links which are crossed and pivoted together at their centers, means providing a stationary pivot for the upper end of one of said main links, a movable vertical member having a pivot connection with the upper end of the other of said main links, said movable pivot being at the same horizontal level as said stationary pivot and adapted to move along a horizontal path toward and away from said stationary pivot, slide means connecting the lower end of said one main link to the lower portion of said movable vertical member, means directly below said stationary pivot providing a vertical slide connection with the other of said main links whereby said main links maintain said movable vertical member in true Vertical position when it is moved to and from the stationary vertical member, a pair of links comprising an inverted V-linkage, each link of which is substantially onequarter the length of said main links and interconnected by a common pivot at the top in horizontal alignment with said stationary pivot, the links of said V-linkage being pivoted at their lower ends, respectively, to said main links intermediate the upper ends of the main links and said center pivot.

13. A folding door in accordance with claim 12 in which the vertical member has a foot with means engaging the floor to anchor the lower end of the member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,381,744 Riggs June 14, 1921 1,698,746 Veeder Ian. 15, 1929 1,878,073 Vansant Sept. 20, 1932 2,732,894 Harris Jan. 31, 1956 2,861,687 Ensign et al Aug. 6, 1957 

